Did you travel a lot?
Lindsay: Mostly to places I had been to before - New Zealand and
the Great Barrier Reef.

What did you do during your free time?
Lindsay: Went into the city with friends, partied with friends.

What were your favorite and least favorite
things to do while abroad?
Lindsay: Favorite - parties with friends and other
internationals in the apartment building. Least favorite -
study for exams.

What difference did you find with regards to
academics?
Lindsay: It is much harder to do well in Australia. You
put your all into an assignment and 99% of the class won't get above
a 75.[With all ISEP classes it only matters that you get an
equivalent of a US "C" or above to transfer in your classes.
None of the grades will count toward your GPA. Also, in
Australia a "D" on a paper means "distinction" so be sure to know the
grading system of the country you are going to].

What advice would you give to other students
traveling abroad?
Lindsay: 1. Put yourself out there and meet new people, or you
are in for a lonely , homesick time. Try to remember that they
are away from home as well, and you can lean on each other. 2.
Get to know the other internationals - when you are back in the
States you'll have people around the world to visit! 3.
Really try to appreciate every day you have while abroad. It's
okay to be homesick, but don't let it spoil the fun you could be
having because you will miss it every day once you get home.

How would you summarize your overall
experience?
Lindsay: 1. Amazing. I've learned so much about myself
and grown so much this past year, and am so proud of myself for
taking such a huge adventure. I've made friends from around
the US and the world - Slovakia, France, England, South America,
Mexico, Norway, Canada, etc. and my next trip will definitely be to
France to visit my flatmate. I miss Australia every day that I
am gone! I so often would find myself in such a beautiful
setting - on a boat watching the sun set over the opera house and
harbour bridge, or swimming over the beautiful coral formations of
the Great Barrier reef, and all I could think of how blessed and
lucky I was to live this life and have this amazing opportunities.
I would not trade this past year for the world. It was about
so much more than just getting courses done for college and to quote
Qantas, "I still call Australia home."